Pakistan targeting Kargil because it has no support there

6 June 1999PTI

NEW DELHI: A former MP from Ladakh today alleged that Pakistan was targeting Kargil area because its Muslim population had never supported that country's "evil designs" and remained loyal to India throughout the last 51 years. "Pakistan has been targeting Kargil and its residents through shelling and other evil moves because we have never supported, not even when militancy was at its peak in Kashmir," said Mohammad Hassan Commander who represented Kargil-Leh constituency in 1989 as an independent, reports PTI.

Besides, a "Sunni population dominated" Pakistan wants to cause suffering to the residents of Kargil because about 95 percent of the population here comprises Shia Muslims, he told PTI here. Stating that the people in Kargil were suffering due to the Pakistani actions, Mohammad Hassan said the infiltration had led to deterioration of their conditions.

"About 35,000 people from Kargil town and adjoining villages have been rendered homeless by constant Pakistani shelling," he said. Mohammad Hassan called on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and defence minister George Fernandes on Friday and apprised them of the problems of the people of Kargil.

He criticised Pakistan for claiming itself to be an Islamic country and said "Islam does not allow killing of innocent people and aggression." The Ladakhi leader said people in Kargil were fully with the forces and wanted the action to continue till the last of the intruders was kicked out.